Fast food strikes continue to sweep the nation

Today’s national fast-food workers strike is going strong with reports rolling in from more cities joining the protests.

Organizers say the walkouts have spread to 60 cities:

Alameda, CA; Atlanta; Aurora, CO; Austin, TX; Ballwin, MO; Belleville, Ill; Berkeley, CA; Bloomington, Ill; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Columbia, MO; Dallas; Denver; Detroit; Durham; East St. Louis, Ill; Flint; Fremont, CA; Greensboro; Gretna, LA; Hartford; Hayward, CA; Houston; Indianapolis; Kansas City, MO; Lansing; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Madison, WI; Manchester, CT; Memphis; Milwaukee; Missoula, MT; Newark, CA; New Orleans; New York; Northglenn, CO; North Las Vegas; Oakland; Richmond, CA; Peoria; Phoenix; Pontiac, MI; Raleigh; Richmond, CA; San Diego; San Leandro, CA; San Lorenzo, CA.; Seattle; Springfield, Ill; St. Louis; Tacoma, WA; Tampa; Topeka, KS; Wausau, WI; West Haven, CT; and Wilmington, DE.

The workers are not alone. Many Teamsters across the country are standing in solidarity with strikers, including UPS Teamsters in Atlanta this morning.



UPS Teamster David Allen supporting fast food workers

Elected officials are linking arms with fast-food workers on the picket line, too. Rep. Jan Schakowsky joined striking workers in Chicago this morning.

The impact of the strikes is being felt in Michigan: 

It's only 10 a.m. in the Motor City, but striking fast food employees say they've already gained a victory. CBS Radio reports that a McDonald's restaurant located at Eight Mile Road and Lahser closed this morning after workers walked off the job.

According to reports on social media, employees at other McDonald's locations and a Church's Chicken in the city, as well as a Checkers restaurant in nearby Lincoln Park, Mich. A spokesman for organizing group D15 told The Huffington Post that fast-food employees are also striking Thursday in Pontiac, Lansing and Flint.

A St. Louis activist tweeted this morning:

A 2nd location shut down at 7am RT @LowPayIsNotOK Workers shut down this McDonald's in STL 

New York Times columnist Steven Greenhouse writes on Twitter:

Organizers say fast-food strikes have spread to 60 cities. Here in St Louis, shutdown of a Hardees counter

And Tiffany Hsu from the Los Angeles Times tweeted: 

#FastFoodStrike - dozens march outside a South LA #BurgerKing at the crack of dawn for $15/hr minimum wage

In Chicago, there are reports on Twitter of workers outside the iconic downtown Rock N' Roll McDonald's.

And here’s a picture of a father in New Orleans on strike for his kids.

The Low Pay is Not Okay Facebook page includes comments from workers in more than 30 cities that have joined today’s #829Strike – and the day isn’t halfway over yet!

Today’s labor protests build on walkouts in July that took place in several cities, with dozens of more cities expanding the reach of the strikes to the West Coast and into the South. The momentum of the fast-food workers’ movement and low-wage workers’ struggle in general is growing fast.

Today is shaping up to be a historic day in the labor fight for raises and rights on the job. We’ll keep you posted on strike developments throughout the day.

Keep standing strong, brothers and sisters!